‘£8m fraud’ charges (From York Press)

‘£8m fraud’ charges

9:16am Saturday 6th December 2008 in News By Megi Rychlikova, megi.rychlikova@thepress.co.uk

YORK trading standards officers are prosecuting four people over an alleged £8 million fraud involving fake jewellery.

The four were charged as part of an investigation into sales of trademarked jewellery in the city.

Trading standards officers allege that the four are responsible for a warehouse that held 166,000 items, that if genuine, would have been worth £8 million.

Matt Boxall, prosecuting, alleged the store was the source of a number of the goods that were sold in York as genuine, but were in reality fake and not produced by the company they purported to be from.

York magistrates decided the case was too serious for them to deal with and ordered the prosecution to prepare committal papers.

Jason Stuart Ward, 39, of Meadway, Bury, Scott Michael Ward, 39, of Manchester Road, Bury, and Sheila Ward, 62, and Michael Frederick Ward, 63, both of Ringley Road, Whitefield, Manchester, each face 11 charges under the Trades Description and Trade Marks Acts. They include having fake goods in their possession without the consent of the trademark’s owner, with the intention of making a gain for themselves or another person, or causing loss to another.

The prosecution alleged the goods included pirate copies of jewellery and watches from Christian Dior Couture, Playboy Enterprises International, Lois Vuitton Malletier , Chanel, Guccio Gucci, Manchester City Football Club, Disney Enterprises and G A Modefine. None of the four were in court, but solicitors entered not guilty pleas to all the charges on their behalf. Magistrates adjourned the case until January, when they hope to commit it to York Crown Court for trial.

Among the items said to have been counterfeited are purses, wrist watches, a handbag slipper charm in pink diamante, silver coloured bangles, a key ring from Playboys Enterprises International in the shape of a rabbit’s head, a finger ring and a tabard-style watch.

The warehouse is alleged to be in Manchester.